The age-old idiom of "don't judge a book by its cover" never ceases to amaze me. Every so often you come across an anime that just blows your expectations out of the water and delivers something completely different. In the case of Nagi no Asukara, on the surface (or below the surface in this case) it mostly looks like yet another done-to-death high-school romcom. Consequently, if there was one thing I didn't expect coming into this, it'd be that it turned out to be the most beautiful anime TV-series I've seen aired since 2011.

--Story--
Nagi no Asukara (or Nagi-Asu for short) takes place in a fantasy world where there exist two different subspecies of humans. In this story, people originally came from the ocean, however over time there were ones who started crawling up on land as well to see what lay above the surface of the water. Now, ages later, the population has been split completely into land people and sea people, and they generally live quite isolated from each other.

The story follows a circle of childhood friends from the sea, living in an underwater village called Shioshishio. For various reasons their local middle school closed down, and they had no choice but to transfer schools… to one above the surface. Trying to adapt to a life on land is not an easy thing, as they constantly have to keep themselves wet in order to not dry out their Ena; the protective shell given to the sea people by the Sea God, which is what enables them to live and breathe underwater in the first place. Furthermore, there is substantial discrimination and tension between the land people and the sea people which keeps raising new hurdles for the group of friends.

There are numerous areas that the plot revolves around over the course of time. There is the diplomatic relationship between the two groups of people, the mysterious supernatural aspects concerning the Sea God and Ena, and last but not least Nagi-Asu has some of the most complicated love drama I've ever come across in anime. However fear not, because Nagi no Asukara is an exceedingly rare case of romance done right.

--Characters--
You see, unlike 99% of all romance anime out there, Nagi-Asu is actually unpredictable. Normally you barely have to watch five minutes of the first episode of an anime TV-series in order to know with almost complete certainty which couplings will end up taking place before the end (unless there turns out to be no development at all, which is even worse), but not this time.

For one, the main character cast of Nagi-Asu is rather large as well as evenly divided in gender. There is also no one that really can be called a protagonist in this series; Hikari probably gets the most screen time but I wouldn't really go as far as to call him a “lead" character. Point being that it never really feels like anyone has any innate “advantage" when it comes to love rivalry simply due to the concept of plot armour, because they all appear to be on fairly even grounds from start to finish. Above all though, if you would draw up all the characters and their various crushes in a relationship graph, you would very quickly realize that there are just way too many arrows… and there is no obvious nor optimal solution in sight. Hence, I honestly didn't know how any of this would turn out until very close to the end of the entire series, and that is something extraordinarily rare in anime (which in itself is a pretty sad realization for the sake of the anime industry).

Anyway, all the love drama aside, the character development in Nagi no Asukara is fantastic. Each and every character feels like he/she actually serves a purpose, and adds something crucial to the bigger picture. The anime covers a quite large timespan and there is plenty of opportunity to see how everyone matures and changes over the course of the story. All the members of the main character cast have very specific and detailed personalities and depth behind them, and you never get the feeling that any of them are any less important than the other. I guess the best way to explain it is that the supernatural aspects aside, there is a constant sense of realism when it comes to the characterization in Nagi-Asu and it just kept getting better and better the longer it went because of it.

--Animation--
Oh the burden of not having an 11/10 rating.

If there is one thing you will realize within the first few minutes of the very first episode, it is that the visuals of Nagi-Asu are simply out of this world phenomenal. I'm not talking as much about the facial expressions etcetera although those are certainly very good as well, but this category is all about the environments. Everything involving the sea in this anime is breathtaking. Absolutely stunning. The underwater world and its submerged town has all kinds of marine creatures swimming around everywhere in perfect detail, and the lighting coming through the ocean surface (which works sort of like the sky in this case) and how it refracts with the water looked almost futuristic at times. P.A. Works really outdid themselves this time around.

That is not to say that the surface world is that much less impressively looking in any way, as the animation quality of this show is just all-round top notch. I don't really have much to say about it however other than the fact that it is really solid throughout; it's just that it kind of gets outshined simply by how gorgeous the water world of Nagi no Asukara is. I really cannot praise it enough.

--Sound--
Anything starring Hanazawa Kana is always an immediate potential winner in my book, but she's not exactly the only factor to take into account regarding the audio of Nagi no Asukara. As far as the voice acting goes, I think pretty much everyone really lived out their characters' roles as good as you could possibly ask for. While there was no one character that really stood out for me as being above the others in this regard, the amount of feeling that was put into the voice acting should definitely not be understated, and consequently I think it was a really good performance by the seiyuu cast in general.

Regarding the soundtrack… this part is actually pretty hard to comment on. The reason for this is that the music of Nagi-Asu is generally pretty quiet. It doesn't have any sort of epic OST or catchy/emotional music; rather it goes with a generally ambient theme that tries to up-play the atmosphere of the anime in general as well as its key scenes. As far as that goal goes, I think it does its job very well, but on the flipside it also results in the individual tracks not being very memorable as they're pretty much only good alongside the show itself and not as something you would ever listen to on its own in a music playlist. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but it's simply the way it works.

The various OP/ED themes would probably all fall into the category of “good, not great" to me; originally I wasn't too fond of them but they kind of grew on me over time as the show kept getting more and more emotional.

Overall I feel that the music of Nagi-Asu was mostly intended as a supporting aspect for other categories of the show rather than something intended to be great on its own. It's not the most common way of approach but if that was indeed the producers' goal then I think it was executed fairly satisfactory.

--Enjoyment--
This show took up almost all the spare time I had available over the course of the three days it took me to marathon it. Normally that is not something I manage to do quite as much anymore, at least not for anime of this type of genre, but in the case of Nagi no Asukara I really could not stop watching it. It has this constant drive of making you want to know more, both regarding what is going to happen to the characters in focus, but also regarding the entire population of the two human subspecies and the world itself. It is extremely immersive and has a huge sense of realism to it that makes it really hard to not get absorbed by it. Also, like I mentioned earlier, it is less predictable than most anime series out there so you can never take what is going to happen next for granted.

--Overall--
Nagi no Asukara is a series for people seeking feels and beautiful landscapes. It utilizes environments you normally never get to see in anime and it does so in style. It once again showcases that a seemingly stereotypical concept can be extremely successful when you add one or two twists to it on a very basic level, as well as boost it with very high production values. It also makes you care, not just for the main characters but for everyone and everything in it as the scope of Nagi no Asukara is unusually large.

This anime made me bask in its beauty as well as sob silently. It went above and beyond all my expectations and now I have to consider it as one of the best I've seen in ages. A gem not quite like any other.read more

When I first saw the description for Nagi No Asukara I really didn't know what to expect. The synopsis didn't really give off much of an idea of what this show was going to be like. So thinking that Nagi no Asukara would be another cheesy romantic comedy. I began watching with low expectations. Little did I know that what I was about to watch would be one of the most enjoyable slice of life anime I have seen in a long time.

A long time ago people lived and flourished in the sea. But one day some of the sea people wanted to live in the land, and thus they moved to the land and away from the sea. The story revolves around 4 middle school students who are forced to attend a school on land after their school in the sea village closes. Many problems such as adapting to new environments and dificulties making friends follow.

The story presents itself as a slice of life in the beginning with the main focus on problems the main characters have on the surface. Now for some people the pacing in the first half might be a bit slow, but There is good reason for that. As a character driven anime, Nagi No Asukara has to focus on its characters a lot and flesh them out properly, and Nagi No Asukara does just that. The show uses a lot of its time developing its characters and making sure they feel more like actual people rather than flat characters that you care little about. Was it worth it? Definitely.

But don't be fooled. Nagi No Asukara doesn't always stay a fun, light slice of life. The mood changes dramatically darker in the second half. The show takes a turn from slice of life to being more dramatic, and this is where Nagi No Asukara falls short on. Many slice of life romances that try to implement drama in their plot tend to be overly melodramatic, and this also seems to be the problem with Nagi No Asukara. Nagi No Asukara's second half is chocked full of drama. From unrequited love to arguing. The show sometimes becomes quite frustrating in the dramatic parts. Many parts felt uncomfortably lengthened because of the melodrama and how the characters are so unwilling to talk and make up after an argument. Now although to me this wasn't a major problem. It still dampened from the experience as a whole.

Story isn't the only thing Nagi No Asukara focuses on.The animation of Nagi No Asukara is top-notch, with animation that rivals even The big studios like Kyoto animation The show looks absolutely gorgeous. The backgrounds were created with such detail that it felt like I was watching an art gallery. Character designs were also very appealing and detailed. Seriously, Nagi No Asukara's art is definitely some of the best I've ever seen in the anime industry. I'm not exaggerating at all.

The sound of Nagi no Asukara is also paid much attention on. "lull ~Soshite Bokura wa~" by Ray is a great first opening that fits the slice of life aspect of the show perfectly. The second opening "ebb and flow" also by Ray has a more serious tone to it and is also a great song to listen to. ( I have already listened to it 20 times). The soundtrack also doesn't disappoint. Pretty much every track and tune fits the mood well. Nagi no Yanagi also does a great job on the ending song.The first ending song "Aqua Terrarium", is a calming song that fits the show very well. The second ending song "Mitsuba no Musubime" is also a very good song that fits with the second half very well.

As a character driven show, the characters are the aspects that make or break the series, and I can honestly say that Nagi No Asukara has quite the cast. The main cast consists of 5 characters. The crybaby Manaka Mukaido, the hotheaded Hikari Sakishima, the calm and collected Kihara Tsumugu, beautiful and caring Hiradaira Chisaki, and the handsome Isaki Kaname. Now at first the characters felt very stereotypical. Hikari is the main character that gets mad at many things and gets the viewers pissed off because of how much a jerk he can be. Manaka felt like those characters that were made to be cute and cater to the audience. Tsumugu was the smart one in the show that would preach life lessons to the other characters. Kaname was the handsome guy, and Chisaki is that kind girl who also joins in on the love triangle. As you can see. The cast doesn't seem to be very likable or original in the beginning. What P.A works does an extraordinary job on though, is putting a serious amount of depth to the characters and developing them immensely over the course of the show.The characters develop dramatically and feel way more alive throughout the show. As you get to learn more about the characters through the show. You end up feeling way more connected to the characters.They turn into characters that you actually care about. Not second dimensional characters that you forget about in a few weeks, but characters that really make an impression on you.But that's not the end. There are two more main characters added through the show. Shiodome Miuna and Sayu Hisanuma. Although they only receive development in later parts of the show. They recieve a lot of development through the series and although they might not get as much depth as the other characters. I ended up caring for them just as much as the main cast.Another very interesting part of the show is that Nagi No Asukara has one of the biggest and most complicated love webs I have seen in a while. Almost every important character in the show loves someone else. And watching this web unfold was truly an enjoyable experience. As I watched the characters grow up and see how they coped with their unrequited love. I began to root for their happiness from the bottoms of my heart. The characters truly made an impact to me, and it was a bit sad for me to finish the show.

Nagi No Asukara isn't for everyone. It's slow pacing in the beginning and it's focus on the characters are enough to scare off people who have little patience and want immediate action . But for people who are patient enough. Nagi no Asukara is a show that will deliver. With its beautiful atmosphere, great characters, and a very interesting story. Nagi No Asukara is that gem in the rough that should definitely be watched by fans of romance and slice of life.read more

Change is always something unexpected and unique, regardless if it's moving or doing something for a change of pace, there's something new for you. The coming of age story has been repeated countless times, and I can't remember the last time it was executed as wonderfully as this. Feelings are expressed, hearts broken, but still, friendship is repaired and made. Given the factor of fantasy in the anime, you're in for an adventure that you'll remember, and characters that are original from any other.

To explore the diverse set of ranges this anime goes over, you'll need to understand the story behind it all: Humans originated from the sea and lived there, but after awhile, some wished to explore the land and settled there. After the separation people still live in the sea and the land, but difference in thinking can go a long way after the change of life style. You have conflict between the two, each party becoming fed up with other causing a feud between the two. From there you begin the anime, opening with a group of kids who come from the sea, but their school being shut down has made them resort to going to school on land. The problem here is that the circle of friends are at the same time showing they don't want to be there, that the land is no oasis.

From the very first day of their first taste on land, they're faced with stereotypes and negative characteristics by the the class, all except one person not joining in this. This person would be Tsumugu. The only main character from the land and one of the few who accept them personally. The friends aren't treated as they wish to be during their stay on the land and get humiliated at any chance they're given. While this is going on Manaka and Tsumugu are having interactions that change her perspective, and ultimately the groups perspective. The challenges that await them are one that only they could experience and learn, while staying friends like they were before.

First off, the romance in the show. Since the show is very character driven and heavily focused on the romance in the show due to the differences in interest for others, there's drama in the group. The drama isn't something that can be repaired quickly, and the show makes sure of it. It felt natural and seemingly unavoidable. Conflict of love interests in many shows have failed, whether it be from the lack of emotion to way of dealing with it, this show covers those aspects correctly. There's bound to be awkward bits and mess ups from the cast, they're only in middle school, but it's realistic. From the way the characters deal with the problems such as Chisaki being rejected by her long-lasting love, Hikari, she doesn't run away from reality, she continues on and gets over it. Romance and drama are no lacking aspect from the show, if anything, it's the main aspect that drives the show.

Then there's the time skip. What trouble these things cause, but this show used the aspect of this and gave it a twist that brought something to light that wouldn't have been shown otherwise: being left out and growing up. During the five years that the cast are frozen, Chisaki is the only one from her group of friends that isn't affected. She's left to grow up and experience life without her friends that she treasured. Chisaki clearly has shown that she feels left out, that she has changed while the others haven't. After the others have become unfrozen, it's discovered that they haven't aged one bit. After time they come to realize, though Chisaki's appearance may have changed, she herself, hasn't. Her constant worrying of being not accepted for who she is now no longer exists. She can be fine and live with her friends again, just like she used to in the sea.

What about the characters and their role in the anime? They're nothing less than diverse and their actions heavily influence what happens. While this is a romance anime, there isn't only two happy people out of the cast that gets a good ending. Respectively, they all get a fine outcome, and all get screen time letting the audience experience life with them as they go on. Usually in shows with a large group of main characters there's gender inequality, but this has a balance between males and females.

No one character was treated differently from anyone else, even Tsumugu who's from the land and not the sea. Though when it comes down to it, two characters are often left out from the cast that we picture. That being Sayu and Miuna. They're introduced into the show for being trouble makers and messing with the project that the main group is working on. They're mainly there to show up in the first half to make appearance, and become main characters in the second half. They sadly have the short end of the stick. After the time skip, they both find love interests in the main cast, yet are sort of left out, at least Sayu is. Miuna on the other hand is left caring for Hikari and Manaka, and slowly realizing her love for him. Finding out that he loves Manaka, she's left confused and heart broken, lost on what to do next. After awhile she leaves it aside and lets them be, though it still does hurt her. With that being said, every cast member learns from their experiences and matures into wonderful characters by the end of the series. There isn't one person who still refuses to accept others.

Can we take a moment and just stare at the art? Art in this anime is nothing less than the best. It never dipped in quality, and was probably the best thing this anime had to offer. From the sea village, Shioshishio, to just the land itself, they both have the highest quality put into them. You can see the village from the water as if it's clear and really clean. Aside from that, the village itself looks spectacular. The concept of it all was done well and brought out a great aspect of living underwater, and the land was the exact same. They had wonderful scenery with the forests and city when they went to visit. Detail was put in the littlest thing bringing out the beauty of it all. It's safe to say that P.A Work's has yet again produced an anime with art that is elegant and explosive in its own way.

Soundtracks and Openings for this anime wasn't overlooked in the slightest, since art was heavily focused. The openings reflect on the series itself and what it's trying to show the viewers. The first is "lull ~Soshite Bokura wa~", and it gives the feeling of a new experience that the friends are getting, while trying to overcome the problems that they're facing. Then the second half has "ebb and flow" which shows the feeling of change, and accepting the past for what it is. You can't change it, but it's the present that matters. They both really stood out above the rest and made great impact on the series. As for the cast, they're nothing to leave in the shadows. You have well known faces like Hanazawa Kana and Kayano Ai, who produce great work. While the rest of them aren't as well known, they aren't anything less than great. They did their job perfectly to portray their characters and give life to the words that they said.

Is Nagi no Asuakara worth the time to watch? Definitely. It was one of the brightest of 2014 and gave a hell of a ride for the fans. While the start is a little off setting, it gets a lot better towards the second half. The beautiful landscape views and scenery give the show life while having a big cast to bring in content. It's a show about experiencing new things and letting go of the past. Anyone who is even remotely thinking about watching this should give it a try, it won't hurt to give it a go.read more

First a little background, having just watched Golden Time, I was on the look out for something new to watch and first came across Nagi no Asukara in the suggestions list. At a first glance at the anime and having read its description, I thought perhaps it could be worthwhile and decided to chance it. It didn't disappoint at all, this show was magical from start to finish and I couldn't have been happier to have stumbled across this gem. It certainly ranks among my top 7 favourite anime.

This show is a "slice of life, fantasy and romance" show in a nutshell, however it takes these themes and fulfills them really rather well and isn't without some original twists.

The story is set in two villages, one in the sea and one in the land. There is a conflict between the people of these villages due to friction about their cultures and beliefs. The people from Shishoshio, the sea village, believe that the people originated in the water and that those who had left in the past for land had betrayed the sea god and had turned their backs on their way of life. This rivalry in the show is actually well developed as the show goes on and plays a defining role in moulding the story.

The story starts of with four main characters, essentially around whom the meat of the story revolves around (although there are two other main characters added shortly after). These are Chisaki, Kaname, Hikari and Manaka, the few children in the sea village. They have been childhood friends and in the same school for as long as they can remember and are being transferred to the school on the land to continue their education. Obviously, having been together for so long, they all have strong feeling for each other and the refreshing fact is how realistic their relationships are. They fight, have fun, love each other and are jealous of each other at times. Unlike many other shows this really helps drive the story further on solid foundations.

The story then revolves about their life on the land and the interactions between the characters. The new main characters added are Tsumungu, a quiet but reassured boy who lives on the land with his grandpa and two younger girls, Sayu and Miuana. All of these characters are well developed over the show and themselves are involved in secondary themes such as dealing with second marriages in their family and loneliness. Not everything is laid out on a plate however and there are certain things that are left for you to figure out or wonder at.

The first half goes through the gears and describes the life of the characters and how they get on, with a few usual bumps and twists, some of which is original and some which is to be expected but by no means boringly cliched. The main plot of the start is the build up to the "Onefeukhi" a ritual which is carried out by the sea and land people together to pay sacrifice to the sea god. I shall say no more. This is one of the very few anime with a twist that is shocking however done in such a way that doesn't irritate but actually works with the story and ultimately makes it better. It is this "twist" that actually helps to make this such a memorable anime.

So thats the story glanced over, of course there is so much going on all at once for me to explain but take this much 1) The complex relationships (between sister and brother, children and parents and between the children themselves, even the adults, the villagers too. 2) The character development is paced perfectly with the story and is satisfying to watch unfold. I haven't even scratched the surface of the story yet.

The art style is nice, there are no faults and quite mellow.
The soundtracks are well used and OPs are definitely amazing.

Overall this anime gave me a chance to feel what I had with anime such as Clannad and Little Busters. It's a story driven by the entire cast, there is a whole bigger picture behind everything and the fantasy setting doesn't detract it really defines the show in a way while still making everything absolutely relatable (not in a practical sense but an emotional one).

So if you are looking for something with substance, a well paced story and a brilliant cast all blended to amazing effect, Nagi no Asukara is not a show to miss. read more

Recommendations

It's a "light" feeling anime about a group of friends, just like AnoHana. I would definitely recommend it. They both have fantasy elements and are about how a group of friends' lives are changed forever by different circumstances, including love, among other things.

The overall atmosphere of the series is very alike. Most of all because the characters of Manaka and Menma seem very similar, and both of them have a friend who always cares about them (Hikari and Jinta respectively). Both series are about a group of friends who spend time together.

In the sense of atmospheric mood--sweet adolescence romance between childhood friends! The sentimental feels that you'll get from watching the two are very alike where sometimes you just want to burst out in sheer joy for the characters or weep for them. Both have a drab of supernatural or out of the world charm that makes the love polygons more than any ordinary childhood crush.

Both main leads (Jintan in 'Ano Hana' and Hikari in 'Nagi no Asakura') are in love with a childhood friend and do not openly admit it. Both main lead girls, Menma (Ano Hana) and Manaka (Nagi no Asakura) have similar personalities: cheery, selfless, and often empathetic for others.

And with every love polygon...there exists a Girl B who likes the main lead male in both series and of course, a Boy B who notices it. &nbspread more

Both Anime are Drama that have a kind of 'fantasy' theme to them and a huge focus on the romance aspect. The main girl is very similar in both shows (in a way of being naive and overly moe) and the cast itself has a similar setup as well (2 girls, 3 guys and similar relationships imo).
Also at some point both focus on a somewhat important event, those episodes felt especially similar but overall you get a very similar feeling watch those two.

SIMILARITIES: group of friends, growing up together, unrequieted love, love triangle (and more complex polygons...), how relationships change over years, guy as main character and POV, childish girl as female protagonist.

DIFFERENCES, referred to AnoHana: way more tragic and sad, realistic setting.

As everyone said, both basically give off the same vibe. Both refreshing and don't claim to be more than they are, they don't claim to be the most exploring animes into the themes of childhood, they give what they want to give, a middle-school story.

Childhood friends relationships and growing up
Themes of change and fear of change
A perhaps too much focus on childhood love that conquers all

Manaka and Menma are alike but Manaka is more developed and becomes somewhat mature as the anime progresses (though we can't really blame Menma who's practically frozen in her childhood self)

Both have brilliant soundtracks and you can't ever feel the urge to skip the openings and endings in very episode

The characters of Nagi are more complex imo but then again its 13 Vs 26 eps. That being said, I think despite Nagi being longer, its pace and direction are actually better executed imo

brilliant art and animation for both and a beautiful colourful, summer-like feel to them both (especially at the beginning of Nagi)

I actually went back and watched some of Anohana after this&nbspread more

This two are more alike than me and my identical twin brother (haha ok, ok.. maybe not THAT alike, but still). Nonetheless, if you enjoyed the first one, it shows that you like love triangles, in which ofc someone is left outside of the geometrical shape of painful love, aaand you enjoy seeing them suffer throughout the series, therefore making you a sadist. OR you kinda hate this love-triangles but the story is so good that you can't stop watching and you choose to endure all those heart-crushing moments, which kinda makes you a masochist.. hahahaha k bye.

Nagi no Asukara and Anohana are both anime series with a similar atmosphere, small cast of characters, and involves romance between friends.

A shy young girl is in caught in the middle of a love triangle with more complex circumstances also involving themes of supernatural. Both series also has some emotional factors as characters tries to go deal with certain situations with their own hands.

•both anime focus on a group of friends, and there present lives while emotions begin to stir for each other, as the story continues, emotions explode and the story sets in motion, concluding for better or for worse
•both focus on the human interactions of certain incidents that happen during an event, and the result of the time lapse there emotions froze or changed for the better or for worse
•both are the light heartwrenching emotional roller coaster, that will make the audience cry out in happiness or sadness, it will stir up past feelings or present
•both are an anime that are enjoyable and will make you feel something for every episode, wheres its agony for the guy who wants the best for the girl he likes, or sadness because they love to be around the person they love even though there heart aches, they will always be happy for them
•they are both a great series to watch and the scenarios are very similar, with love triangles here and there, connecting one to the other for different reasons,

Very similar feeling. Lot's of drama and hidden feelings among a group of friends, resulting in/because of an unfortunate event. Also, both series revolve around their "mascot": an airheaded young girl who would do anything for her friends.

Similar romantic drama between a group of friends in school. Manaka and Menma are very similar and even have similar sounding VA's. Hikari and Jinta are also similar male protagonists, though Hikari is a bit more tsundere and jealous. They both have very similar feelings despite having very different settings.

Nagi no Asukara is basically a fusion or a mix of both AnoHana and Shinsekai Yori - they're both anime about a group of friends/teenagers growing up (mentally and physically) in an "unique" world related to magic in a way. Also the romance and feelings factor and characters are really similar to AnoHana. Menma could be compared to Manaka while Hikari could be compared to Jinta, etc. (Spoilers Alert) There also was a huge love "shape" (because it was basically a triangle that kept getting more angles as the episodes went on) a bit similar to AnoHana.

-Focuses on a group of friends and their relationships
-Both have love triangles
-Can make you cry
-Both are bittersweet dramas
-Has a colorful cast
-Both the main female characters are innocent and cheerful, yet complex.

This is an easy one. Both have a dramatic focused story line. They both have comedy and romance, but AnoHana is definitely more comedic while NagiAsu is much more romantic. They both have problem related to the past in different way. The main character are teenagers having difficulties to accept those changes around them. They leave you during all the show with a lot of bittersweet feelings.

If you a sucker for anime that makes you soft as hell; then I thoroughly recommend these anime. They both exert this "cry or else I'll fck you in the ass" feeling... Haha, sorry I know this isn't much information but if you like one then you will probably like the other. To sum they're both about a group of friends filled with drama, slice of life, and some sort of crying magic.

If you like watching the drama unfold in AnoHana, you may also like Nagi no Asukara. In my opinion, they're similar because of the drama, romance, artwork, character design, and supernatural essence. It's kind of difficult to explain without spoiling any plots, but both animes share same aspect of not being able to assume what's going to happen next. Also, another point that needs to be put out there is how there's always a lump of hopelessness that gets bigger and bigger with each passing episode until the very end. I think if you're into that sort of tear-jerking, tragic storyline, you might also enjoy Nagi no Asukara.&nbspread more

The characters are really similar, as is the plot line, since it focuses on similar themes/genres. It has light-hearted as well as sad/touching moments. Art also has a similar feel to it, but it's nicer in Nagi no Asukara. And they're both full to the brim of sometimes annoying, tearful love triangles!

Both of these shows have similar feelings (even though AnoHana is like 10x more dramatic). They portrait the daily lives of a group of childhood friends, with similar characters (Menma similar to Manaka and Jinta similar to Hikari) with an extremely beautiful environment. Also, both of these shows talk about changes in life.

The story line from each show is different from one another, but the slice of life aspect and the interactions between the main, girl character in both shows are very similar. There are several relationships involved, but both shows go beyond the surface level of exploring relationships.

The pains and joys of youthful friendship are what make them so strong, and what help them last. Even the calamities of romance cannot break this truly wondrous connection that we make between ourselves.
Like Anohana, Nagi no Asukara focuses on a group of friends who struggle through obstacles and change as they figure out who they want to be for themselves, and for the others. As the characters struggle through the calamity of romance threatening precious childhood friendships, we see them develop and mature into different people as time goes on. Similarly to Anohana, the characters in Nagi no Asukara work together to maintain what's most important to them—their friendships. &nbspread more

A coming of age story about romance and opening their eyes to the world they live in. Changes and Growing up, truths and lies. They both have this supernatural feel to it, but Shinsekai Yori definitely has a darker edge.

A group of friends slowly discovering more about the society they live in. Then, each one of them find their own way to deal with the situation. Both have drama and also deal with forbidden love and other aspects that affect their lives.

Shinsekai Yori takes place in a post apocalyptic world and our main cast live in a Utopian society with strict rules. While Nagi no Asukara is the light hearted version of Shinsekai Yori minus the dark, gory, mystery, and suspense-like feel.
The character design is so similar it's astounding. Kihara Tsumugu and Shun look and act the same way. The way Mangka shows her interests in him is basically the same way Saki feels to Shun. Both Tsumugu and Hikari are rivals yet they care for each other too. Hikari and Satoru are very protective and comedic at times with everyone. Chisaki is very calm and caring like Maria. Both Maria and Manaka have the same seiyuu Kana Hanazawa. Kaname and Mamoru look alike but act very differently. Chisaki has taken Maria's role as the one to keep the group together. &nbspread more

Nagi no Asukara and Shinsekai Yori shares a variety of similarities ranging from their strict societies to discoveries of their worlds. Similarly, they both consists of a small cast of colorful characters each with their own personalities. However, their relationships with others and each other seems to often clash involving contrasting ideologies.

Both series' contains fantasy elements although Shinsekai Yori has more of a dark atmosphere while Nagi no Asukara seems more lighthearted. There is bits of romance with an artistic touch added to their backgrounds. By production standards, both series' qualities sets its bar high along with its premise.

•both anime focus on there own scenarios with a different 'world' adjoining to their own, being brought together or drawing harsh lines between them, showing differences or showing that they are alike
•both focus on a group of students, showing their day to day lives and growing up, co existing with the other 'species'
•both anime have specifcally different genres, but somewhat relate to each other, where as SY is deep/dark/mysterious, while NA is very light hearted but the touch of heart wrenching, complete opposites, but they relate with the growth development of the human feelings as they twist and turn, and how it affects there day to day lives, with time.
•both anime are an exceptional watch, showing the human characteristics as it faces the emotional collateral, that everyone experiences and we can relate to in one way or another
•they are very similar with the twists and turns of their lives in there own worlds colliding with the 'other' as they grow up changing there minds/views on their reality. you might like one if you liked the other,

While Shinsekai yori plot was much darker both plots are similar. The characters also remind me of each other even though the characters in Nagi no Asukara tone is much lighter they still give the same impressions of Shinsekai Yori characters.

The Characters , the art style, I couldt stop thinking of Shinsekai yori..
The very feel of the Nagi no Asukara and Shinsekai Yori is similar.
The world they live in is interesting and unique, definitely a check out if you liked either of these series.

Let's see. There's group of five childhood friends in both anime. Every one of them has very special personality, and you could say the group is psychically almost identical. (I mean, Satoru/Hikari, Saki/Manaka, Maria/Chisaki, Shun/Kaname), There's plot about a fantasy place where they live (utopian village/sea). The second main part of the plot is feelings because both series play with the relationships between the friends and their feelings for each other. (I guess you could call it "love quadrangle"?) The feeling you get from watching these anime is very similar. The animation in both is really beautiful, as are the soundtracks. The differences could be in the seriousness of these two series. Shinsekai Yori is a lot darker and more depressing (generically horror), while Nagi no Asukara is a bit more slice-of-life. This doesn't mean NnA doesn't have any drama and can't make you sad though!&nbspread more

Each of these anime follows a group of kids with special abilities that are commonplace in their respective world. They deal with issues like love, loss, and societal intolerance, and both heavily utilize the themes "coming of age" and "loss of innocence." In terms of genre, elements of Shinsekai Yori are set in science fiction whereas those in Nagi no Asukara are set in fantasy.

The main character casts are very similar as are the romantic relationships involved (aside from SsY having a few homosexual parts). This is mostly comparing the early part of SsY as it eventually adds in some horror aspects which (so far anyway) Nagi no Asukara does not have (since it's much more slice of life style). The art styles are also similar and very good (Nagi no Asukara may be a little better and more vivid though), but especially when it comes to the character designs, the shows seem very similar in this aspect. In both shows, there is plenty of drama especially between the main characters as well as dealing with their problems in their supernatural/fantasy worlds. Also, Maria in Shinsekai Yori and Manaka in Nagi no Asukara have the same VA.&nbspread more

Strange worlds, strict laws, forbidden boundaries. Story revolving around a group of children stepping into the adult world discovering the truths about their world in a somewhat harsh manner. Although Nagi no Asukara has a more lighthearted theme.

It's about how a group of close friends grow up together, experiencing love webs and gradually understanding how their society works. Not surprisingly, if you watch either of them, you will definitely love it since they both share the same vibes.

In short, Nagi no Asukara is the light-hearted version of Shinsekai Yori and vice versa.

Both from Shinsekai Yori and Nagi no Asukara take place in world slightly different than the one we're in. At first glance they don't seem that similar, one's more light and happy while the other's are a little more tense and thrilling, but when you look into it the plots of the 2 have a very similar feel and flow to them that I haven't seen in many anime.

Both series are based around a group of friends that face various challenges along their journey into adulthood. While many of these events seem to be focused around the group's focal points, being Saki in from Shinsekai Yori or Hikarai in Nagi no Asukara, the other characters still play a major role in how it plays out.&nbspread more

Both shows begin in a very similar style and have a similar overall formula in development (with the mid-season jump forward in time). Both shows follow a group of children as they discover the secrets of their world which have been hidden from them by the adults in the community. However where Nagi no Asukara takes a lighter turn early on, Shinsekai Yori takes a much darker and macabre turn.

Sure was a suprise . It had the same features as nagi no asukara. It's still quite mysterious. Its very similar to Nagi because of the characters and the place its located. Its just a small town near the sea with not so many people. Very good if you like a little comedy and romance in a slice of life kind of anime. Though it may be a little slow .

Nagi no Asukara & Glasslip both gives a feel of drama between friends who have been together for a long time. These story starts with the involvement of another person that created a domino effect aka one thing leading to another. They also share similar genres and art, plotted in a small town.

This is literally the exact same show.
-Group of friends get interrupted by the arrival of a new, seemingly emotionless male student in their group
-Main character is a silly genki girl
-Plot seems to be based around the love spider web, leaving the actual premise on the back burner.
-Sachi is Miuna (Not that that's a bad thing)
-Takes place in a seaside town
-Same animation/character designs
-Same overall feel
-Same show

Needless to say, if you liked NagiAsu, and want a simila- another NagiAsu, watch Glasslip.

Similarities:
- Group of school-age teens/kids
- Web of relationships ("he likes her but she likes this other guy" kinda deal)
- Seaside setting
- Fantasy element (fish people in Nagi no Asukara, seeing into the future in Glasslip)
- Manaka is similar to Touko
- Relaxing soundtrack/opening theme

Differences:
- Rushed ending in Glasslip (better, more developed ending in Nagi no Asukara)
- No undersea city/fish people
- In general, Nagi no Asukara has younger protagonists (middle school vs. high school)
- Glasslip is shorter than Nagi no Asukara (13 episodes compared to 26)

And P.A Works studio keeps them rolling! First things first, both series has high quality visuals and animation which is always a pleasure. Similar atmosphere where it can be light and warming but also can be mysterious and tense. The characters are typical P.A Works standard where both sets of characters personalities are nearly identical. Nonetheless a fairly good Slice of Life/Drama. Where there is drama, there is romance.

Both by P.A. Works
Similar type of genre where character development will play a huge role in acceptance of the new character, or drama inside the group
Both have characters whos main role is to effect the outcome of the party they are involved in.
Love and drama will be factors as a Male rivalry kicks in

Has a really similar feel to Nagi no Asukara
Close group of friends that get thrown into a bit of chaos following the introduction of a new student
Complicated love triangles/squares/pentagons
Similar characters
Tsumugu - Okikura (I swear Okikura is an older version of Tsumugu)
Hikari - Yukinari
Manaka - Touko

How within the group of friends, their corresponding love interests are pretty similar. The main characters having a love interest for an "alien". In Ano Natsu the main Kaito a human falls for Ichika an alien, in Nagi no Asukara its kinda the reverse. The main Manaka a half human and fish (alien) falls for Tsumugu a human. Characters that play similar roles in both are, ( Nagi no Asukara 1st ) Hikari and Kanna, Chisaki and Tetsurou, Kaname and Mio.

Ano Natsu and Nagi no Asukara shares a similar theme of youth during. The characters from both series aren't fully adults yet so they learn to grow up and learn the world around them.

The main characters from both series have various interactions with a touch of friendship, romance, and respect. Not all the characters are human as a few possesses supernatural traits that are viewed differently in their perspective worlds.

There is a similar atmosphere as the characters follows a slice of life-like pattern. There's also some drama related to the special people involved in both series that seems to be shunned by society. &nbspread more

The elements of Jealousy is present on both shows heck, having Ano Natsu on my recommendation. Apart From That, They both share almost the same tags such as Romance and Fantasy. A love Polygon/Triangle is also implied and shown on both shows.

First off, this is one of my all time favorites. As a die hard romance fan, this is super amazing.

Ano Natsu and Nagi share the similarities of love triangles, Nagi's being a bit more complicated I think. But both have amazing artwork and great storylines, definitely worth a watch. Ano's ending left me speechless

-Both were aired at the same time
-Both heavily focused on romance and drama, with a touch of fantasy for NnA.
-shippers would actually have a bit of a hard time discerning who their favorite pair is
-both are set (not focused) in schools

Now this is where its different. you got a group of adults and a group of kids, but both groups have problems that are opposite of their age group. the "adults" are wishy-washy, cry a lot, and have problems kids could take care of. The "kids" on the other hand are way mature, actually have more sense to their thoughts and actions, and have more solid personalities, not something flaky like the salt flake snow.&nbspread more

Romance, a classic theme presented in both series. Golden Time and Nagi no Asukara explore relationships from a multitude of angles. The main male protagonist is caught in a love triangle and comes across difficult decisions in his life.

Golden Time takes place in a more mature environment (University) while Nagi no Asukara's setting has more fantasy elements. However, their small yet colorful cast of characters creates an atmosphere of dramatic sequences. Comedy also exists in both series.

Kinda at a loss for words here but... this series is simply amazing.
This series contains a lot of drama and is can become quite addicting. Early on in the series the viewer is given a quick sense of the social tension between the group of friends. With unrequited love as one of its main themes, you can expect a lot of drama. Like most most 'coming of age' animes, the series will kind of drag its feet. And may often feel a little rushed. But don't give up just yet. The series really picks up. There’s some good payoff for a relationship that has been developing for a long time. As the drama develops, the plot development actually doesn't seem rushed despite the many sudden events that take place.

The series offers many themes and gives off a sort of magical feeling... yeah... I can not describe this or make sense of it ._.

If I could compare this series to something... I would compare it to something like a Shakespeare's play. Or maybe that of Ano Natsu de Matteru and Anohana. Every episode has something new to offer and will have plot twists. Something totally unexpected will happen. Even expected outcomes will come as a surprise. And each episode will always leave you wanting more.

Well... my advice isn't that trustworthy haha... afterall, I thought wouldn't watch this series at first. The reason wasn't because of the synopsis or whatever. It was because I just didn't bother to watch any of the episodes. I never thought that a group of friends from middle school could do much to surprise me. Boy was I ever wrong.

The series can be very mature. It will use a lot dramatic irony and themes like melancholy and unrequited love. This is a through and through drama anime.

Love is basically a central plot theme in this story, as well as conflicts in the character's atmosphere. While the story deals around on love, other conflicts such as a home town sea, or amnesia memories, became an obstacle of the main character's motivation and must deal the situation as they advance through. It is all about the drama, cries, memories, and losing something important, hang in their for 24+ episodes.

Nagi no Asukara, is a fantasy drama, where the main characters are having conflicts in their hometown in the sea. Many relationships were shown here. Golden Time is a dramedy, where a character has amnesia and has to put things together. A love triangle is in here.&nbspread more

Both feature a protagonist who experiences internal conflict and have a tone of drama coupled with fantasy elements, though less so with Golden Time. Both protagonists have feelings for a girl that they struggle with.

Realistic, supernatural anime that deal with love in all its different forms. In addition, there are striking similarities between the main protagonists and their respective relationships with their families and their primary love interests.

Consider watching the other if you enjoy the exploration of the themes of romance, friendship, family, and the changes in these relationships as time passes.

A slice of life anime with a glaring supernatural element that governs the story.
This includes a character driven plot where all of the main cast has a fleshed out character development (save a minor few), a solid romance storyline, breath taking animation, memorable music, and copious cliff hangers and plot twists that will give you "the feels".

Nagi no Asukara are one of the few animes that will fill the void when finishing Clannad: After Story. Likewise, Clannad and Clannad: After Story is an appropriate series to watch if you want more stories like Nagi.

School life romantic comedies, both of them also in the drama genre.
They both involve a group of friends which grow up while time passes.
Both of them give you the same feeling, they're really emotional.